The Final Call

In Memoriam: Ameenah Rasul

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When one thinks of the Nation of Islam there may be a tendency to think of the strong men of the mighty Fruit of Islam carrying the Muhammad Speaks newspaper or The Final Call and venturing into neighborhoods where others fear to tread or don’t care enough to visit.

But alongside the men of the Nation, there have always been the believing women, who have been partners, mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, nieces, aunts making an impact on Black America and the world. These are women who were with Mother Clara Muhammad running the Nation when her husband was jailed for refusing to participate in the draft or fight in World War II. She and other Muslim sisters conducted the affairs of the Nation as the men followed their leader, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, to jail rather than join an unjust war for America. Such women were there in the 1930s when authorities jailed the Muslims for having the audacity to create their own schools and educate their own children.

“The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said to us that 75 percent of his work of reform was with the Black woman. This means that whoever is assigned the position of responsibility to bring about the reform of our women has one of the most important assignments in the Nation of Islam,” said the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

“No soul dies but by the permission of Allah, the term is fixed. She was very clear mentally and spiritually up to the last moment of her life. May Allah bless her son, members of her family and all of those who she has touched to carry into practice the wonderful wisdom of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that she so bountifully shared with all of us,” said Minister Farrakhan in a statement issued to The Final Call. (Read the full statement.)

Sis. Ameenah was a legendary captain over the women’s class, the M.G.T.&G.C.C., under the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and was responsible for teaching and training women. In speaking with some of the women trained by Sis. Ameenah, who departed this life July 5 and lived in Georgia, several themes came to light: Her sterling character, her powerful example, and her willingness to share and, above all, recite wisdom from her teacher, Elijah Muhammad. The Muslim pioneer was 91 when she departed this life.

It was Sis. Ameenah who helped teach and train Nation of Islam First Lady Khadijah Farrakhan, her assistant Karriemah Muhammad, Dr. Betty Shabazz and Betsy Jean Farrakhan, who later served as an M.G.T. & G.C.C. National Captain for her father.

Sis. Ameenah taught us in “sisterhood,” the “hood” is the umbrella and you must never let a sister get back out in the rain, Sis. Barbara recalled.

When you talked to Ameenah Rasul, she would always repeat what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said and refer to how he trained her. From the beginning God made the woman for Himself and the woman was a part of him. We have been taught by the God we serve that a nation can rise no higher than its woman, Sis. Barbara said. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is the only “religious leader” who made it not just an obligation but a law to respect and protect the Black woman, she noted.

Sis. Ameenah worked with legendary F.O.I. Capt. Yusuf Shah and their unity, together as brother and sister, was a reflection of the nature of the Black man and woman, said Sis. Barbara. Both male and female have a duty to God and Sis. Ameenah wanted to present the best of what Mr. Muhammad saw in the female.

When the Muslim women met and when they meet today, men are not allowed in the class. Sis. Ameenah would say the M.G.T&G.C.C. Class was our dressing room, “we’re still getting dressed and so no men should be allowed. She was the wise woman in regard to what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad saw and desired for the female,” recalled Sis. Barbara.

A’ishah S. Muhammad, National M.G.T. captain emeritus, met Sis Ameenah in 1981-1982 while her mentor lived in East Elmhurst, N.Y. Sis. Ameenah  taught classes on Saturday and referred to how the Hon. Elijah Muhammad said things should be done, from rearing children, to cooking and was patient in imparting what he said, according to Sis. A’ishah.

A typical example of Sis. Ameenah’s training could be seen in her treatment of a young Vanguard who was learning to sew. Sis. Ameenah, who was an excellent seamstress, would turn uniforms under construction inside out, would correct mistakes, guide us and then approve us to make the M.G.T. uniform, noted Sis. A’ishah. But Sis. Ameenah was doing more than giving a lesson in sewing. She was teaching us that the fundamental construction of anything was essential to that thing, its value and its ability to last, said Sis. A’ishah.

A mother of a son, Sis. Ameenah had girl children through those she taught in the Nation and was described as a wonderful housekeeper, wife, mother and exquisite cook, said Sis. A’ishah. She was very discerning, would always watch, listen and look before she spoke, and always wanted us to be the best Muslims. Sis. Ameenah taught about the woman’s quiet power, how to never act other than oneself, to remember who we are and whose we are and explained our duties as the women of Allah (God), said Sis. A’ishah. We were never taught we were lesser beings in understanding how to deal properly with men, but were taught to embrace principles in cause bigger than us, said Sis. A’ishah.

She taught us we could rise as high as our God-given gifts and talents would take us and the value of duties in the home, said Sis. A’ishah. She also never made anyone feel inferior but was peaceful and accepting of others.

We thank Allah for this tremendous woman and helper of Allah and his Christ and their Servant and may we forever remember and honor Ameenah Rasul. May we teach our children of her and may we make her proud by continuing the journey she started and has completed. May we never quit until we have achieved our goal of freedom, justice, equality and a New World Order built on her example and sacrifice.